Technology tree

This page is in need of being brought up to date. Please help Kerbal Space Program Wiki by fixing inaccurate or outdated information.

Rewrite needed for 1.2 update

The entire tree as of 1.0.4

The Technology tree allows the player to unlock more advanced parts for constructing variously lethal craft. It is a branching tree structure composed of nodes, each containing a set of one or more parts. Previously collected Science points have to be spent to research a node, which then unlocks its parts for use in the Editor. Funds may also be involved in unlocking individual parts.

The tree is accessible via the Kerbal Space CenterResearch and Development Facility's “Technology” tab. As part of the Science system, the Technology tree is not available in Sandbox Mode; instead all parts are automatically unlocked. All other modes begin with the initial node “Start” unlocked. Each node beyond it has a prerequisite node or nodes which must be unlocked before it can be researched. Unlocking the entire tree requires 16,918 Science. Before difficulty modifiers, there are 392,019.3 Science points available from experiments, and 6,055.8 from recovered vessels.

There are two additional placeholder nodes in the stock game which are included in the table below, but have no parts currently assigned to them. The nodes appear towards the end of the Tech Tree, and are only displayed in-game when a mod (or mods) are installed which use them. These nodes are: Nanolathing, costing 550 Science, and Experimental Motors, costing 1000 science.

Use

Precision Engineering is an example of a research node with prerequisites. It requires either Advanced Flight ControlorElectrics be activated before becoming available.

The technology tree is displayed as a horizontal branching tree structure, with low tech research nodes on the left and higher tech nodes on the right. The root node of the technology tree, Start, is on the leftmost side of the tree and is active by default in all new Career Mode games.

By conducting missions and collecting science, the player may spend their science points on available research nodes. In Career mode, depending on difficulty settings, funds may also be required to unlock each part in the node. Only nodes that have had their dependencies activated are displayed on the technology tree. As the player activates more nodes, higher tech nodes will become available until the eighth tier of the tree is reached.

Most research nodes have dependencies upon earlier, lower technology nodes. For example, the General Rocketry node requires that the Basic Rocketry node be activated before the player may spend 20 science points to unlock its parts. Some nodes have multiple dependencies that require several nodes be activated before they become available. There are also research nodes that have multiple dependencies but only require one of them to be activated prior to becoming available. In case of career mode there is also a further restriction depending on the level of the research facility. The starting building allows only nodes under 100 ⚛, the mediocre allows up to 500 ⚛, and the final facility has no limits of course.